First Day of My Life
by Cacolac
Summary: Set right after Company Picnic. Holly/Michael. She didn't turn around as she finally left him. Her hand in AJ's, she could feel her heart beating in her chest, she could feel her eyes burning, but she managed not to turn around.
1. Chapter 1

First Day of My Life

(title comes from the Bright Eyes song)

Chapter 1

She didn't turn around as she finally left him. Her hand in AJ's, she could feel her heart beating in her chest, she could feel her eyes burning, but she managed not to turn around. She realised the exact same thoughts she had six months ago were running through her head. Six months and as it turned out, she hadn't really moved on. She still wondered if she was doing the biggest mistake of her life, she still wondered if there was a way, _any way_, to be with him.

She didn't do anything.

Her head low, her throat soar, she knew something was wrong. She didn't know how to fix it. She had never known how to do that, how to be able to actually act to make her life better. She had always been too afraid that it might end up being worse. She didn't know how to take a chance for something that really mattered. She always went with the flow, settling for 'okay' because it seemed better than nothing. And that was probably why she was planning to move in with a guy she wasn't sure she loved. But it could be worse and maybe she was being too demanding.

Before meeting him, before he turned her life upside down, she always did the reasonable thing when it came to relationships. She never had high hopes. She thought she wasn't the kind of girl who fell in love, who would know how to recognise it or keep it. As it turned out, she had it, right there, it was so obvious it was a little frightening and a little intoxicating. And she hadn't been able to hold on to it, to fight for it. For him.

For six months, she had tried very hard to act as if nothing had happened. It wasn't even supposed to happen, she didn't need that kind of trouble, she had been stupid and love was way too risky. Six months, and during that time she had finally settled with AJ, who was some kind of friend back when she was first working at Nashua, before Scranton, and he was like her in that way, he didn't need more. They were somewhat happy, they had their routine and it was better than going back to an empty house. Things had moved fast between them because she had never felt the rush of the first few weeks, the discovery of the other and the falling in love part. They rapidly became a sort of old couple, satisfied with what they had, not asking for too much.

Expect, maybe, sometimes, when she couldn't sleep and his arm around her felt odd, she couldn't help it. So she got up, sat on the couch and breathed as hard as she could to sooth that strange burden in her throat. It wasn't right. It was oh so wrong it was never as clear as on those moments when, even though he was just next to her, she felt lonelier than ever before. And on the morning, she greeted her teeth and remembered he was a nice man and it was better than nothing and she hushed that voice that told her that if it was better than nothing, it also seemed to be worse than a lot of things.

But all this was because of _him_. Because he had opened her up and showed her that maybe it could come true, that maybe love wasn't just some fairytale talk. Because he looked at her in a way that made her stop breathing. It had been the hardest part to forget, and she had never really been able to. He looked at her like she meant something, like she was more important than everything else and well, who wouldn't want to be looked at that way? How could she ever forget it?

After some times, she had been able to stop thinking about him too often, to accept her faith and what she had.

And of course, when things were starting to feel okay, when she started considering she would actually make it, move on, they met again. And in about three minutes she was lost. It was like old times, the same complicity and the same jokes they were the only two to understand. And still, the same look on his face. She stayed with him the whole day, hoping guiltily he would conquer her again without leaving her a choice. Yes, she realised it was wrong of her to hang out with her ex when her current boyfriend was just around. She just couldn't really help it.

Every time he fell silent, she hoped hard he would tell her they could do it, they were too right not to make it. He didn't say anything, she knew it was the decent thing for him to do, she knew he still felt the same way and he was just being a great guy. It didn't help. She couldn't take that last step, make it work. She wasn't strong enough. She needed him to do it, to forget about everything else and fix it, to be mad enough to ignore what made it impossible. Because he shouldn't be allowed to look at her that way and not make it possible.

Nothing had happened and she was going home with the wrong one. It was clearer than ever before, so obvious she was ashamed she still didn't find the strength to make it right. She would need to quit and how could she be sure it was worth it, that they would be solid enough? She didn't want to end up in six months in Scranton alone. She was terrified that they might not live up to her expectations. It could never feel as right as their first dates, she wasn't sure she wanted to trade her spotless memories for a potentially sad ending. And there was that stupid, unrealistic side of her that knew, that thought she knew everything would turn out alright. That in the end, the inevitable would happen. That was the hopeless, romantic side of her that thought life was a movie. And it was because she believed it, even if it was just a tiny part of her, it was because she believed it that maybe she didn't do what was right. When two people are meant to be together, doesn't it mean they _will_ end up together, no matter what? She had never believed in soul mates or _the one _or all this Disney talks you need to let go of when you grow up. But sometimes, when she was with him, it didn't seem such a far stretch anymore.

Because that one day spent with him had still felt more _real_, more important, somehow, than six months with AJ.

That night, she didn't sleep. She couldn't stop the images of Michael from running through her head. She could still hear his voice, remember his smell, his eyes, his smile, his laugh. It felt like he was just out of reach, that she only needed to stretch her arms to touch him.

It was a little pathetic and a little heart-wrenching and she closed her eyes real hard, hoping it would make the tears disappear.

_We haven't found our great idea yet..._

_We're circling it._


	2. Chapter 2

First Day of My Life

Chapter 2

'What's wrong?'

Oh. AJ was awake. 4 AM. It was probably the wrong time to do what she was about to do. It didn't really matter anymore.

'I can't do this.'

She stated, matter-of-factly. There it was, finally.

'Do what?'

'Us. This. The house, living together... I can't settle for this.'

He took a sit next to her and grabbed her hand.

'Settle? Really? As in... Because you can't do better?'

'Oh, come on, you know what I mean.'

'No, I don't, actually. Aren't you happy?'

'No, I'm not. How can you not see it? How can you be happy with _this_?' she waved between him and herself. It seemed so obvious, now, she even felt a little angry he didn't get it.

'I _am_ happy with all this. I love you, hon. And I thought it was mutual.'

'It's just... It's not what I want.'

'What do you mean? What about the house, the plans we have? I mean, we were preparing some future together... What was all that?'

'I thought it was enough. It's not.'

He got up, started pacing in the room.

'Not enough? What do you want? God, what's gotten into you? You're 37, stop acting like a teenager. That's love. Settling down, making projects, thinking about the future. That's what we have.'

'No, not this way, not for us. That's not love. That's convenience and cowardice. That's giving up on the real deal...'

'The real deal? Wow... I thought you were smarter than that... What did he tell you? It's his fault, isn't it, that corny little guy you spent the day with? I'm not blind, you know. I'm not stupid. God, Holly, I thought I could trust you. What did you do? What did he tell you? '

'Nothing. He didn't... He didn't have to say anything.'

She dropped her head, hearing just how ridiculous it sounded.

'Oh come on, that's bullshit. In what kind of world do you live? I thought you were grounded and... What's gotten into you?'

'I'm sorry.'

She meant it. He didn't deserve all that.

'Oh, wow, you're sorry. That changes everything.'

'You don't get it.'

And, standing up, she started to go for the door. There was nothing else to say, she thought. But his hand around her wrist stopped her. It wasn't a harsh move, his hand was only grasping her arm. It was gentle, like he always was.

'No, I don't, that's right. What are you doing?'

She stared in his eyes for a few very long seconds.

'I'm leaving. I...'

'No, you're not.'

'What?'

'We're going to talk about this. That's what grownups do, Holly. Why didn't you tell me before?'

'I tried to be happy, I hoped all this could be enough. It's just... We don't work...'

He took a deep breathe and a pang of guilt found her.

'What can I do?'

He wasn't even mad. She wanted him to be mad, she wanted some kind of passion. Something else than his eyes begging her.

'Nothing. There's nothing you can do. It's just not working. You're a great friend and all, but there's just... nothing more.'

'We were talking about moving in together, and now you're telling me I'm just a friend. Where the hell did that come from?'

'I'm sorry, that's just... the way it is. I'm sorry, I really am. I hope that one day you'll realise I'm doing what's right for both of us. We can both do better.'

'No, you're making a great mistake. I love you.'

She met his eyes one last time. They were shinning, on the brink of tears. She cared. She didn't like it, she was never good at breaking up (but who is?). She swallowed her shame, her regrets. It was too early for remorse.

'I don't. Not enough.'

'And it's _him_ you love enough?'

'...Yeah.'

'Really? That guy? That Michael? You're actually leaving me for that... buffoon... The guy I saw crawling out of a room during a presentation? The guy that did Slumder Mifflinaire?'

'Hey, it's Slum_Dunder_ Mifflinaire, and _I_ did that too.'

'Yeah, I remember, you embarrassed me in front of the whole company...'

'_I _embarrassed _you_? Really? You said you liked it.'

'Well, had you been my ten year old cousin, I'd have found it real cute.'

'You just...' she shook her head and went toward the door.

'Wait... What I mean is... That's not you. You're not yourself when you're with him, you just take all his... whatever he is... He just brings out the worse in you, all those childish jokes and stuff. You're better than that.'

She wasn't even angry. She was already thinking '_What now?' _He was only comforting her in her idea. No regret, at least. At last.

'_That's_ who I am, as a matter of fact. I'm not better, I don't want to be better. That's who I am and I can only be myself with him. And that's why it's him and not you. And I hope... I hope you'll get it one day, you find the right one for you. I really do. Take care. I'm sorry for... everything.'

She didn't turn around. Not that it was too hard. She didn't want him to see the tear on her cheek. It was better that way, she thought, he would have misunderstood it. She stepped into her car. And when 'Life is a Highway' started on her radio, she couldn't help but smile between her tears.

What now?


	3. Chapter 3

First Day of My Life

Chapter 3

The first hour went by pretty fast. It was like her brain was still asleep, like something else was calling the shots, now. Her head was full with adrenaline, nothing else found its grip. She realised after half an hour she had left the city. It took her five more minutes to fully comprehend where she was headed. It was 4:30 AM.

The night was pitch black, only too rarely troubled by the lights of other cars.

After a few moments, the CD Michael had given her on her second day hit its last track. _A Whole New World, _Aladdin. He never gave her much of a chance not to fall in love. The smile that hadn't left her since she had stepped out of AJ's house grew a little wider.

Her focus started to blur as she stopped thinking about what she had just done. Instead, her mind started wandering about. She wondered how dorky it was that she mimicked a _whoosh_ sound in her head before diving into a flashback.

oOo

_They were sitting on one of the benches of the Scranton city park. She can't remember anything else than the way her hand felt in his and how he always bent near her when he said something and she could feel his breath on her neck._

'Come on, tell me something nobody else knows about you.'

'What?'

'Well, we're together now, so you need to tell me something nobody else knows. That, and having sex, are the two things that could prove we're for real.'

'Because if I don't answer, it won't be... _real_?'

'No, of course not. God, what I mean is...'

'It's okay, I get it, and I think that's pretty cute. But you first. It's only fair. What dark unspeakable secret do you have?'

'Okay, yeah, I guess it's fair. Well, huh, I know _Aladdin_ by heart.'

'By heart?'

'Mmhm.'

'Even the Robin Williams parts, where he just goes crazy?'

'Especially those!'

'Even the songs?'

_She turned to face him, her eyes finding his._

'Even the songs.' _He answered, smiling at her. She loved his smile. It's one of the things she missed the most. And every time she thinks about him, he always has that shy smile she only saw when he looked at her._

'You know what I'm going to ask you right now, don't you?'

'There are children here, Holly! That's inappropriate! But I guess there's the little forest just by...'

'No, not _that_.' _She laughed._ 'Sing it to me. The magic carpet ride song, can you sing it?'

'Well, I, huh... Yeah, okay, sure.'

oOo

She pulled at the next stop and bought a coffee. She was tired. Already. One hour down, six to go. Her reason was starting to creep back, as she was slowly realising the enormity of what she was doing. But it was the right thing to do, she knew that. It was the only thing, really. She just needed to believe a little. Fragments of her relationship with Michael keptcoming, all those moments that made it obvious. The reasons why she had no choice.

oOo

'Goodbye.'

'Okay. Bye.'

_Just like that, he was gone, and she was standing in a room full of boxes, in a town she had so easily left a few months ago. Nothing was easy that day. She started to unpack one of the boxes and found a note, just a few words scribled in a folded piece of paper._

Miss you already, Hollypop.

_Nothing was easy for a few days, a few weeks. She was afraid to unpack, every time she opened a box and found one of his messages, she needed to sit down on the cold floor, her back against an empty wall, and think very hard about all the reasons she should not hop into her car and drive back to Scranton. In her wallet, there is still a crumpled piece of paper where she can read _Don't worry, be happy :).

oOo

The coffee had kicked in and, mixed with the adrenaline still in her system, her nervousness jumped another notch. She swallowed the dread and tried to keep her mind on the road, only to fail miserably.

oOo

_She was lying in his bed, her head on his chest, listening to his slow breathing, trying to catch the rhythm of his heart. She was not sure she'd ever felt more at home in her whole adult life._

'Are we gonna make it, Mike?'

'Make what?'

'No, I mean... Us. With me in Nashua and you here?'

'Oh.' _He took a deep breath._ 'Of course, Hollybee.'

'How do you know?'

'Hey, believe me, now I got you, there's no way I'm letting you go.'

_She believed him._

oOo

The clock was advancing slowly and, minute after minute, the tireness was growing. The coffee had helped, but between the emptiness of the road and her own wandering mind, it was getting harder to keep her grip on the dark road stretching in front of her.

oOo

'Well, here we are.'

_He was standing in front of her, just beside her door. His eyes were shifting from his shoes to her rapidly. They stayed silent for a few seconds. The cliché of the whole situation felt comfortable, with her pretending she still hadn't found her keys and him awkwardly looking at her, trying to figure out what to do._

'I had a great night.' _she heard herself whisper, unable to find anything original to say._

_It had indeed been a great night. He had taken her to the ice rink and she had pretended not to know how to skate so she could fall in his arms as much as possible. After that, they had gone to the Scranton Chili's. She would never have guessed, before him, that a meal at the Chili's could have been part of a great date. There was none of the awkward silences that sometimes kill first dates. No, they talked long after they had finished eating, joking like they did at work. And she remembers exactly how, as they were silently walking back to her place, he had slipped his hand in hers._

'Yeah, me too. So... I guess I'll see you tomorrow.'

_She looked at her door for a moment, trying to find the will to be reasonable and just go in. By herself. That was probably why she didn't see him take that one last step towards her. She felt his hand grabbing hers, once again, and just had the time to close her eyes._

oOo

She opened her eyes in a startle. A truck on her left, her car slowly drifting away from the road. Her hands tightened their grip around the wheel and she stared at the road, wide-eyed, for a few minutes, before she dared blinking again.

Behind her, a first ray of light finally broke the night.

oOo

oOo


	4. Chapter 4

(I own nothing)

Flashbacks are in italic, every other paragraph.

Enjoy

Chapter 4

The sun rapidly rose behind her, giving her a reason to stay focused. It was finally the day after. Everything would be okay, she kept telling herself. Because everything always was, with him, everything always seemed natural, and that was probably why she was driving seven hours on a Monday morning to figure what they were.

It was only natural.

oOo

'Hello, it's Toby.'

'Hey, it's been a long time! How are you? How's it in Scranton?'

_She tried to sound casual, yet couldn't help but be surprised. It wasn't rare for HR reps to be in contact, but it was the first time she heard from Toby since he had taken back his job in Scranton._

'It's... Well, actually, it's erratic. Michael just quit.'

'... What? Why?'

_But mostly, why was he calling her for that?_

'You probably met the new VP, Miner.'

'Yeah, he stopped by a few weeks ago. What happened?'

'It clashed, I think, and Michael quit. He just came back from a meeting with Wallace in New York. And he told us he quit.'

'God, really? What's he going to do?'

'I don't know. I don't think he knows, either. I just thought I'd call you because, you know, considering what happened...'

'Yeah, yeah.' _She cut him, not really in a mood to be reminded about _what_ happened. She probably never really was in the right mood for that._

'Well, I just thought I'd give you a heads up. I don't know what he plans next. Maybe you do.'

'No, actually, I haven't heard from him since I left.'

'Oh, ok then. Well, I've got to go, sorry for bothering you...'

'Come on, Toby, you don't bother me. Thanks for calling, and good luck.'

'Thanks, we'll need it. See you.'

Yeah. Bye.'

_ He shouldn't have called. It didn't help. Every time someone came through the door, she couldn't stop from raising her head. It was rather pathetic, AJ was a few feet away, she wasn't even sure what she expected. But she couldn't help it. All she could think of was _maybe_._

_He never came. It was probably better that way. Why would he come, anyway? She'll be the one coming to him._

oOo

Her brain had stopped. She had been listening to _The Eye of the Tiger _for the last half hour. She changed her iPod to _Life is a Highway. _

oOo

_She never really planned on sending it. She was certain she would delete it, some day in the near future, and that would be the day when she would officially have moved on. It is still on her computer. She opens it, sometimes, just to change a few things, imagining she really is telling _him_ about her life. In the end, she always keeps that first draft. Maybe she will be able to erase it now._

Dear Michael,

How are you? I hope everything's fine in Scranton. I really do. I've heard you're doing quite well. Congratulations! Seems like Scranton is doing great without me.

What's new for you? It's Christmas Eve, today. Neat, right? I wish you a great Christmas. Will you be with your family? Your mom? I'm leaving for Des Moines in a couple hours. I can't wait to see my brothers again. You'd have loved them. They'd have loved you too. I think. Not that it really matters anymore.

These holidays are coming right on time. I've been pretty tired lately. These past couple of months have been quite hard. Nashua's fine and all but, I don't know, I'm a little off. Maybe it's because I still think I made a mistake. Did I make a mistake, Mike? Was there another way?

Well, let's not go there, shall we? I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. Are you celebrating in Scranton? I would've wanted to see that. When I remember the party you threw for Toby... I mean, you're the only branch with a Party Planning Commitee, so the Christmas parties must be something! In here, we just have a few lights and a creepy Santa.

Yesterday, I saw the perfect Christmas present for you. I didn't buy it. Instead, I bought something for my boyfriend. I won't tell you what it is I found for you, though, we never know. I'll keep the idea in mind, just in case.

Yeah, I have a boyfriend. He's a nice guy, a salesman here. I really should stop dating guys from Dunder Mifflin, I know. But what can I say, most of them are awesome.

You're the awesomest of all, though, and I'm sorry for everything. I should have given us more time. I regret it, now. Feels great, doesn't it, when you realise you screwed up the moment it's too late to fix it? So I have a boyfriend now, and maybe in a few months I'll stop thinking about you all too often. Why does the idea of not thinking about you makes me sad? I'm not off to a good start, as you can see. Things will get better, I hope.

Anyway, take care.

Miss you.

Your Hollygram

oOo

When would this goddamn trip end? Her mood was swinging from hopeful to fearful, her heart was beating so hard it was muffling the music, her eyes were closing on their own accord and she had forgotten most of what she was supposed to say when she would be face to face with Michael. She needed a shower, a nap, a drink and some inspiration.

Pennsylvania.

Oh god, Pennsylvania. That was it.

Even if everything else was gone, her head was still filled with the memories of them. It was the only thing keeping her from stopping by the side of the road and falling asleep.

oOo

'Wow, you _suck_.' _She smirked, waving the wiimote in front of his face. After two hours of Wii Bowling, she was still the indisputable champion. _

'Give me one last chance.'

'You wish. That would be your fourth last chance. Accept it, Scott, I kicked your ass.'

_He grabbed her wrist and in a second, she was on her couch, with him on her, keeping her from making any movement._

'You owe me a yoga lesson, Flax.' _He said, grinning wildly._

'Yeah, right, change the subject, _loser_.'

_He kissed her hard and, still holding her tight, whispered in her ear:_

'You owe me a yoga lesson, Flax.'

oOo

She made one last stop, at the entrance of the city. 10:30 AM. She had left some five hours ago. A lifetime ago, it felt. She stopped at the restaurant of the motel she had stayed in, during her first week in Scranton, before the house she loaned was ready. The cooking was just as bad, yet she needed this familiarity. After half an hour, she found the strength to step in her car. This was it. Too late to turn back. She would finish what she had started. She would go get what she needed.

oOo

_ There was a Ferris Wheel. There was a Ferris Wheel and a bouncing castle and an unreasonably welcoming boss. It seemed unreal, she wondered in what kind of magical place she had stepped. It was her first day, and she was not prepared for all this. There was a proposal and a Journey cover. And in the middle of all this, there was this feeling she had whenever he came to talk to her, always smiling, always nice, always funny, always so obviously happy it was contagious._

_She had flirted with him, sure, a little, it seemed like the most natural thing to do. She wasn't scared or apprehensive. She just liked how, when they talked, his eyes danced from hers to his always moving feet. She just loved how his smile grew when she touched his arm._

_She lay in the bed of her crappy motel, a smile stuck on her lips, every detail still playing in front of her eyes. Yes, it had been magical. _

_Maybe it wasn't just the fireworks._

oOo

Of course, no Ferris Wheel today. Only the regular boring parking lot she got used to after that first day.

She parked next to his car. 11:09. So she waited another two minutes, grateful for all the luck she could get.

oOo

oOo

The next and last chapter is already written, I just need to proofread it again (and again and again).

Hope you liked it, reviews are always appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

When she entered the office, everything was empty. Conference room, she thought, as she heard the echo of his voice. It felt extremely weird to walk between those walls again, to see all these little details that made this office unique. Pam's drawing hanging over the copier, Dwight's bobbleheads, Jim's minesweeper on his monitor. She walked slowly, following his voice, letting the whole situation sink in her.

The door was open and she could see Michael talking animatedly about Toby. Poor guy, she knew Michael had never given him any slack.

One after the other, every employee turned their head toward her, except for Michael, still deep in his speech.

She saw Kelly grinning at her, waving frantically. It gave her the last piece of courage she needed.

She took one last deep breath, ready for her ever after.

'You're wrong.' she declared. She saw him turn around faster than she thought possible, his eyes widening in a fraction of a second. He stared at her for a moment before being able to even utter a word.

'Wha? Uh, I... What?' was the only thing he managed to get out.

'You're wrong, it's the other way around. Water multiply them, you're thinking of food after midnight.' she continued, finding confidence in his surprise. She smiled.

'Huh? No, I... No, I'm right.' he stuttered, still obviously very much in awe. His eyebrows were frowned, he had one hand on the wall behind him, needing some support.

'No, you're not. It's obvious, really.' she assured. It was great to see him again, to see his eyes travelling from her to the floor, trying to figure it out.

'Wait, no it's not. I mean, yeah, it is, but you're wrong. Believe me, I know my way in mogwaiology.'

He was gaining confidence, she saw, finding ease with the familiarity of the situation, just talking with her, having a fake argument about some silly subject. She was impressed he actually knew how the suffix -ology worked. She laughed and answered.

'Oh yeah, I don't doubt your expertise. Your comparison between gremlins and HR reps is quite compelling, really, but that doesn't make you less wrong.'

For the first time, she saw his smile today. She couldn't help shivering. She knew everything would be okay.

'Well, there's always a Gizmo in the story. And I'm so right you wouldn't believe it.'

She rolled her eyes, but felt her own smile grow wider.

'I don't believe you, that's actually correct.'

'I'm right.' he responded quickly, taking a step toward her. His eyes were twinkling, he was relaxing and she remembered exactly why she was here. To see his eyes on her again, to watch him smile just for her.

'Nope.'

'Yeppers.'

'No.'

She whispered, eyeing at the camera for a second. It was familiar, it was what she had missed during a year.

'Yeassh.'

He answered, imitating her.

'Prove it.'

'What? How? Do you happen to have a mogwai on you? Because that would be pretty awesome. What are doing here anyway, did you come all the way to argue about 80s movies?'

He tilted his head, waiting for her to answer.

'No, that just seems to be a bonus.'

'Why are you here then, missed me?' he teased, now grinning.

'Yeah, as a matter of fact.' His grin froze and a frown reappeared on his forehead.

'Oh.'

'Can we go talk in your office?' Both of them were serious again.

'Hu, yeah. Of course.' His voice had lowered to a whisper and he seemed unable to detach his stare from her. She, on the other hand, was intensely studying the floor.

She turned around, walking towards his office and he stepped up to walk by her side. His eyes never left her. His smile was unbelievable. He opened the door of his office for her and she came in. It smelled of coffee and apple. He closed the door behind her and the silence settled in between them. She had forgotten what to say.

He finally broke the silence with a concerned voice.

'You look tired.' he stated, worried.

'Well, I am.'

She honestly couldn't say anything else.

'When did you leave?'

'4.'

'AM?' he asked before whispering 'AM...' to himself when he realized the inanity of his question.

'I wanted to see you.' she finally said, trying to explain her current state.

'And I'm really happy you're here, but driving through the night seems dangerous.' Concern was still present in the tremolo of his voice. She didn't mind.

'Yeah, well, I didn't really think about that. Because, well, I was tired, you know.' She shrugged.

'So you missed me?' he asked, eyebrows raised.

'Yeah.' she admitted.

'Since yesterday?'

'Since I left Scranton.'

'Oh. Good. I mean, no, but yeah, kinda.'

He was still smiling and everything seemed right. She had nothing else to say. The adrenaline and stress had finally left her, leaving only exhaustion. So she did the only thing she could think of. She stepped in and locked her arms around his neck as she buried her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, letting his odor and the heat of his body surround her. She felt him relax after a second and one of his hands found her back. He wrapped her in an embrace, holding tight, and she remembered the day he first asked her out. She matched her respiration with his and felt his breath on her ear.

'You're falling asleep, aren't you?' he whispered. She felt his smile on her temple, his other hand in her hair.

'Oh, yeah, sorry, I'm just...' she raised her head, but he didn't let go of her.

'Hey, I don't mind, I just wanted to be sure.' their forehead met and, her eyes still closed, one of her hands followed the back of his neck to the start of his hair.

'I missed you too.' she heard him whisper. She opened her eyes, found his and saw the Michael she had been wanting so much while they were apart.

'So, no more tall initialed boyfriend?' he asked.

'No.'

'No more Nashua?'

'I think I like Scranton better.'

'You know, you could've asked me that months ago, of course Scranton is better.'

'I needed to be sure.'

'And you're sure now?'

'Yes.'

'Good.'

'Good.'

oOo

The End

oOo

oOo

Done. Finally. Hope you liked it.

Comments/criticisms are always welcomed.


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